For yet another day, calls for Arroyo to run for congress persist

For the second day in a row, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was wooed to run for a congressional seat in her home province of Pampanga in the 2010 elections Saturday. Political leaders from the province’s second district, which includes Mrs. Arroyo’s hometown Lubao, made the appeal at a courtesy call in Malacañang Saturday noon. It was the second straight day Mrs. Arroyo – who had visited Pampanga at least 50 times this year – was wooed to run for a congressional seat in 2010. Last Friday, a group of Pampanga residents were allowed into the Palace compound to urge Mrs. Arroyo to run for Congress next year. “I believe the best service I can give to our constituents... is urging you not to deny them that privilege of being represented by your person," Mrs. Arroyo’s son Pampanga Rep. Juan Miguel Arroyo said. Making similar appeals for the President to run were mayors Ricardo Rivera (Guagua), Yolanda Pineda (Sta. Rita), Roger Santos (Porac), Nardo Velasco (Sasmuan), Eddie Guerrero (Floridablanca), and Dennis Pineda (Lubao). Guerrero said they needed Mrs. Arroyo’s wisdom, economic expertise, influence and connection. Velasco added they had considered her their “president for life." “Madame president be our voice in Congress," said one of the delegates from Lubao. “Basta mag file kayo siguradong panalo na kayo (Just file your certificate of candidacy, your victory is assured)," a delegate from Sta. Rita added. The second district of Pampanga includes Lubao, Floridablanca, Guagua, Porac, Sta. Rita, and Sasmoan. Lubao, Mrs. Arroyo’s hometown, is a first-class town with a population of 143,058 in 23,446 households. Floridablanca is a first-class town with a population of 103,388 people in 16,591 households. Guagua is a first-class town with a population of 104,284 in 18,438 households. Porac is a first-class town with a population of 102,962 in 15,686 households. Santa Rita is a fourth-class town with a population of 36,723 in 6,118 households. Sasmuan is a fourth-class town with a population of 26,630 in 4,343 households. Also joining in the call for Mrs. Arroyo to run are village chiefs and town councilors and mayors of the province’s second legislative district, said Press Secretary Cerge Remonde. Remonde refused to give any comments saying only the President could make public her decision on the matter. “I don’t want to preempt her, let’s just see what happens," Remonde said on government-run dzRB radio, when asked about Mrs. Arroyo’s response. Also, Remonde downplayed speculations Mrs. Arroyo may steal the thunder from administration standard bearer Gilberto Teodoro Jr if she runs for congresswoman next year. “Kung sakali tatakbo ang pangulo (if she ever runs) she will still concentrate on being president than being a candidate," he said. But the militant Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)insisted that Arroyo should just step down once her term ends, citing her failure to act not only on last Monday’s carnage in Maguindanao but also over extra-judicial killings that took place under her watch. According to Bayan secretary general Renato Reyes Jr, the alliance and other social formations and religious groups will hold mass action Monday to demand justice for victims of human rights abuses under the Arroyo administration. “We’ve counted more than 1,000 victims of extrajudicial killings, nearly 200 cases of enforced disappearances, some 200 cases of torture and scores of other abuses. But we count very few convictions, if any. If that is not impunity, then what is? The trail of blood, leads right up the doorstep of Malacañang," Reyes said. Reyes argued that the President’s inability to put an end to extrajudicial killings has made her morally unqualified to hold any public office or elective position. Speculations of Mrs. Arroyo running for a congressional post in Pampanga in 2010 grew over the weekend after Pampanga folk went to Malacañang and asked her to run for congresswoman. Mrs. Arroyo had visited Pampanga at least 50 times so far this year. Her critics claim that while Mrs. Arroyo runs for Congress, her allies will push for a shift to a parliamentary form of government, under which she can run for Prime Minister. “Perhaps she is just waiting for the Ampatuan massacre to die down so that come December 1, she can file her certificate of candidacy," Reyes said. - GMANews.TV